subs. (old).—A prostitute: see TART. Also a general term of reproach with no reference to sex. See NAUGHTY.

1

  Adj. (Scots’: colloquial).—Intimate; familiar.

2

  d. 1795.  BURNS, The Twa Dogs, iii. 3.

          Nae doubt but they were fain o’ ither,
And unco PACK an’ thick thegither.

3

  1805.  J. NICOL, Poems, ii. 89.

        They war auld comrades, frank an’ free,
An’ PACK an’ thick as tods cou’d be.

4

  1808.  JAMIESON, An Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language, s.v. PACK. Probably a cant word from English PACK, a number of people confederated.

5

  Verb. (also PACK OFF, SEND PACKING, GIVE A PACKING-PENNY TO, etc.) (old colloquial).—1.  To dismiss without ceremony; to send about one’s business; to discharge summarily: also, to depart hurriedly.—B. E. (c. 1696).

6

  1540.  LYNDSAY, Ane Pleasant Satyre of the Thrie Estaitis [E.E.T.S. (1869) line 986]. Swyith! hursone Carle, gang PAK the hence.

7

  1580.  BARET, An Alvearie, or Triple Dictionarie in English, Latin, and French [HALLIWELL]. Make speede to flee, be PACKING awaie.

8

  1593.  SHAKESPEARE, Taming of the Shrew, ii. 1.

        If she do bid me PACK, I’ll give her thanks,
As though she bid me stay by her a week.
    Ibid. (1597), Richard III., i. 1.
He cannot live, I hope; and must not die
Till George be PACK’D with post horse up to Heav’n.

9

  1607.  T. TOMKIS, Lingua, or the Five Senses, i. 6 [DODSLEY, Old Plays (REED), V. 130].

        Roses and bays, PACK hence: this crown and robe,
My brows and body circles and invests;
How gallantly it fits me.

10

  1608.  JOHN DAY, Law Trickes, iii. Em. Win, prethee giue the Fidler a testar and SEND HIM PACKING.

11

  1609.  JONSON, The Case is Altered, iii. 3.

                    Will you GIVE
A PACKING PENNY to virginity?

12

  1629.  A Description of Love [FARMER, Musa Pedestris (1896), 15].

        Without delay, poore wretches they
  Will set their Duds A PACKING.

13

  1643.  SIR R. BAKER, A Chronicle of the Kings of England, 106. So once again is Gaveston SENT PACKING out of the Kingdom.

14

  1659.  JOHN DAY, The Blind Beggar of Bednal Green, i. 2.

          Lady.  Do you but send away Sir Walter Playnsey,
Let me alone to PACK the Cardinal.

15

  1662.  Rump Songs, i. 59.

        And so we’ll banish Popery,
  And SEND IT PACKING hence.

16

  1664.  COTTON, Scarronides, or Virgile Travestie, 78.

          And if that he shall still be lacking,
Then back again we’ll straight be PACKING.

17

  1667.  DRYDEN, Sir Martin Mar-all, iv. One word more of this gibberish, and I’ll SET YOU PACKING from your new service.

18

  1656.  The Muses Recreation [HOTTEN], 31. We must all PACK into the North.

19

  1728.  BAILEY, English Dictionary, s.v. PACK. TO PACK UP HIS AWLS … to march off, to go away in haste.

20

  1730.  JAMES MILLER, The Humours of Oxford, iv. 2. I have SENT HIM A PACKING as conjurors do a ghost.

21

  1766.  GOLDSMITH, The Vicar of Wakefield, xxi. Gentle or Simple out she shall PACK.

22

  1815.  SCOTT, Guy Mannering, xxxiv. I believe he would have PACKED him back here, but his nephew told him it would do up the free trade for many a day, if the youngster got back to Scotland.

23

  1846.  PLANCHÉ, Court Favour, i. Lucy. It would be so charming to SEND all the Dutch PACKING … and for you to be made generalissimo!

24

  1884.  E. WOOD, Johnny Ludlow, 1st S. No. VI. 94. I’ll send you back to school: you shall both PACK OFF this very hour.

25

  2.  (American).—To drink: see DRINKS and SCREWED.

26

  1847.  W. T. PORTER, ed., A Quarter Race in Kentucky, etc., 103. The captain used to boast that he could PACK a gallon without its setting him back any.

27

  TO EAT THE PACK (or PACKIE), verb. phr. (Scots’).—To waste one’s substance; to spend all. EAT-THE-PACK = a spendthrift. Cf. PACT.

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